17 Decorative Paint Makeover Ideas

Update everything from furniture and walls to floors and doors in minutes

Aug 26, 2014

Update everything from furniture and walls to floors and doors with a fresh coat of paint, in an unexpected color or pattern.

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Alison Gootee/Studio D

Patio Pavers

To brighten up a plain concrete patio stone ($1.61; 12" square; lowes.com), first brush away any debris. Then, mark the centers of the stone and your stencil (Modern Masters Endless Circles stencil, $31.95; royaldesignstudio.com). Position the stencil over the stone, aligning the center marks. Use masking tape to block off two flowers on both the right and bottom edges of the stencil to make the pattern symmetrical. While holding the stencil in place, dip a ½-inch-wide stencil brush into Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and pounce the brush straight up and down to apply the paint (brush, $5.75; paint, Greek Blue, $11.95 for 4 oz.; royaldesignstudio.com). When you're done, remove the stencil. That's it—no sealer necessary! Repeat on additional stones to extend your path.

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Kip Dawkins

Ombré Chest of Drawers

In their book, Young House Love ($25.95; Artisan), bloggers John and Sherry Petersik make brilliant use of pint-size paint samples. One of our favorite projects is this mind-blowing bureau before-and-after. To try the Petersiks' trick on your own dresser, start by sanding the piece, if necessary, and removing any hardware. Remove the drawers, then prime everything, allowing an hour of drying time. Paint the body and bottom drawer one color, then paint each remaining drawer a different shade, going from dark to light to create an ombré effect. (If you like, paint the hardware to match each drawer.) Let the whole shebang dry for one hour, and repeat with a second coat. Allow 24 more hours of drying time, then reassemble the chest and fill 'er up.
The colors used here are White Wisp, Gray Owl, Sea Haze, Desert Twilight, Durango, and Char Brown. All paint by Benjamin Moore. You'll need 6 pint-size samples semigloss paint and 1 quart primer.

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Kip Dawkins

Mobile Bar with Built-in Menu Board

Paint a secondhand bar cart in vibrant turquoise—then take it to an even more fun place via chalkboard paint on the top shelf. (The addition of a tray below provides extra space for stashing party gear.) Young House Love bloggers John and Sherry Petersik began this project by lightly sanding their find and taping off its casters. Next, they applied a coat of primer to the entire cart—then two coats of semigloss everywhere but the top shelf—allowing an hour of drying time between coats. After letting the last coat dry overnight, the Petersiks taped off the framework around the top shelf and applied two coats of chalkboard paint to that surface, again allowing one hour between coats and a full day after the final one. The finishing touch: jotting a festive message in chalk.
For this project you'll need 1 pint-size sample of semigloss paint, 1 quart primer, and 1 quart chalkboard paint. The colors used here are Chalkboard and Dragonfly by Benjamin Moore.

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Kip Dawkins

Stenciled Sisal Runner

Who knew you could upgrade a rug with regular interior paint? The bloggers at Young House Love admit that foot traffic will fade the color, but say they prefer the resulting patina on their Ikea runner ($49.99; 2'7"W x 8'2"L; ikea.com for stores). Want to get the look? You'll need a peacock-feather stencil (royaldesignstencils via etsy.com), a stencil brush, and satin-finish paint. Follow the picture at left to replicate the motif in alternating rows. And allow 48 hours of drying time before walking tall on your superior sisal. You'll need 1 pint-size sample of satin-finish paint in Vintage Vogue, by Benjamin Moore.

This woodland pattern is the work of paint, but when applied to a whole wall, it looks like rustic wallpaper. The secret to creating it? This genius double-roller ($78.95; rollerwall.com). As you drag the tool down a wall, the patterned rubber roller picks up a thin, uniform layer of paint from the foam roller. Before you begin painting, we suggest practicing on scrap paper to get the hang of the technique. Also, know that it's hard to distribute the pattern all the way to the top and bottom edges of the wall. Our advice: Remove molding before painting, then reattach to hide the unpainted borders.

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Kate Mathis

Dress Up a Plain Mirror

To fashion this pretty piece, print out our template, sized to fit an 11¾"W ×16"H mirror ($19.99; kmart.com). Trim the template as directed and place the resulting hand-mirror shape atop contact paper. Outline; then cut out. Peel away the backing and center the shape, sticky side down, on the mirror. Spray the mirror's surface with a coat of no-prime acrylic paint — we used Montana Gold's Bazooka Joe ($6.83 for 13½ ounces; dickblick.com). Let dry for 30 minutes; then peel off contact paper.

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Kate Mathis

Bamboo Shade

Transform a plain window shade with a sweet stencil. Painting this birdcage motif is a snap, thanks to a goof-proof stencil ($26; 9"W x 14"H; designerstencils.com). Simply center the stencil on the front side of a bamboo shade — ours cost $21.50 at pearlriver.com — so that the top of the design lines up with the top of the shade; secure with painter's tape. Following the stencil package directions, use a stencil brush ($1.99; joann.com) and acrylic paint to gently tamp the design onto the shade.
Let dry for 30 minutes, then apply a second coat. Wait another 30 minutes before carefully removing the stencil. Allow the shade to dry for an
hour before hanging.

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Courtesy of the Company

Make a Pretty Desk

Creating a custom desk is easy! All it takes is two filing cabinets, a melamine desktop, and a can of spray paint in your favorite color.
Instructions:Create a Custom Desk

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Miki Duisterhof

Pretty Floral Walls

Give roses a modern makeover with this graphic stencil for your walls.
Get the tutorial:Pretty Floral Walls

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Courtesy of the Company

Freshen Up Cabinets

If you already like the arrangement and style of your kitchen cabinets, opt for the simplest of all budget updates: a fresh coat of paint.
Related: Budget Makeover Ideas

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Miki Duisterhof

Block Print Walls

Get this handprinted look with way less work—you just need a rubber stamp and some paint.
Get the tutorial:Block Print Walls

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Keith Scott Morton

Bright-Colored Pantry Door

One important bright-colored piece is often all that's needed to add originality to a kitchen. Painted red, this unique pantry door stands out against the white surfaces that surround it.

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William Steele

Painted Flooring

Add color and texture to a kitchen by choosing interesting flooring. Here, the most eye-catching element is the plank floor that was painted to create a checkerboard pattern.

Give your house curb appeal with these fast fixes for your front door. A fresh coat of paint, and a few accessories, can change the entire look of your home!
Instructions:Front Door Makeover

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Miki Duisterhof

Subtle Grass Cloth Walls

Use two shades of one hue to create the illusion of a linen-like texture on your walls. Buy a Faux Grass Cloth Kit, and you're on your way to completing this DIY project.
Get the tutorial: Subtle Grass Cloth Walls

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